Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
  • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
  • C23C14/223—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating specially adapted for coating particles
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
  • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for all-round coating of relatively small parts in large numbers (bulk).
• the layers are applied by high vacuum vapor deposition, vacuum sputtering (magnetron sputtering) and / or ion plating (plasma-assisted vacuum vapor deposition).
• the parts to be coated are preferably machine elements (bolts, screws), but also other parts which are to have a decorative, hard, wear-reducing, electrically conductive or corrosion-protecting surface. Other properties of surfaces not mentioned here should also be created or improved. Small parts made of plastic or ceramic can also be coated using the method.
• the invention has for its object to provide a device to. Coating small parts as bulk goods on all sides in a vacuum.
• the coating should either be from an evaporator crucible, i. H. from the liquid phase, or by atomization.
• the means known in PVD technology for improving the layer properties should be usable.
• the device should not be significantly more complex in terms of apparatus than known vacuum coating devices and should enable highly productive coating.
• the object is achieved with a device which consists of a drum rotating about its horizontal axis in a recipient, the speed of which is kept constant and is so high that the parts to be coated in the drum are held by the centrifugal force on the inner wall of the drum .
• the surface structure of the inner wall of this drum is geometrically designed in such a way that the parts to be coated are securely fixed in the direction of rotation of the drum and are thus moved with it adhering to the inner wall.
• a stripping device is arranged in the drum, which can be adjusted at a distance from the inner wall and can be switched off at programmable time intervals.
• This stripping device has a run-up surface which is opposite to the direction of rotation of the drum, in order to detach the parts to be coated well from the surface of the drum. It is expedient to design the run-up surface against the inner wall of the drum in a resilient or brush-like manner, in order to ensure that the inner wall is reliably stripped off, particularly in the case of small parts.
• the effect of the device is that the drum rotates at such a high speed that the parts are pressed against the inner periphery of the drum by centrifugal force and fixed there and are constantly moved through the coating zone.
• the parts are removed from the coating zone.
• the outer edges of the drum are advantageously raised inwards.
• the parts are moved several times through the coating zone without changing their position.
• a cycle consists of several coating runs between each change of position, which is repeated until the entire layer is applied.
• the coating is temperature-sensitive parts, e.g. B. made of plastic
• cooling of the drum is possible. This is done either through cooling channels in the drum wall or a double-walled version of the drum to allow coolant to flow through it.
• the speed of the drum can also be increased in order to achieve a higher centrifugal force so that the parts have better contact with the drum wall, which ultimately improves the cooling.
• the parts are rotated when the
• Drum introduced through a vacuum lock and guide device.
• a switchable emptying device in the drum which strips the parts from the inner wall of the drum or detects them in the region of free fall and via guide devices via a vacuum lock to an outside ⁇ transported half of the drum fixed guide. This means that the parts can be fed without stopping the rotating drum, and several batches can be coated one after the other without interrupting the vacuum.
• the inner wall of the drum with its specially geometrically pronounced surface structure ensures that the parts are held on the wall without special brackets, ie an adequate static friction of the parts before and after the mixing phase is guaranteed.
• the surface structure is preferably formed by notches running in the axial direction, one flank of which is steep in the direction of rotation and the other flank of which is opposite to the Direction of rotation of the drum is flat. The distance between the notches should be smaller than the characteristic length of the parts to be coated.
• Corresponding guidance devices in cooperation with the gravity force, cause the parts to change position and fix and move again on the wall of the
• Drum through the coating room Fixed flow resistances are arranged in the drum in order to control the gas pressure and / or the gas composition during the coating in the coating zone in cooperation with the gas inlet and vacuum pump system.
• the cover over the coating device serves to interrupt the coating.
• the device according to the invention has the advantage that small parts as bulk goods, such as screws, bolts and contact elements, can be coated on all sides and evenly in a vacuum. No brackets are needed for these parts.
• the various types of vacuum coating such as vapor deposition and sputtering, can also be used under the influence of plasma or ion bombardment.
• the device ensures high productivity, as loading and emptying is possible without vacuum interruption.
• the shape of the parts to be coated can be any, as can the layers to be applied.
• Figure 1 a device in section
• Figure 2 a section of the wall of the drum.
• a horizontally mounted drum 1, in the wall of which cooling channels 2 are arranged, is rotated at such a high speed that the parts 3 to be coated are pressed against the wall by the centrifugal force and fixed on it.
• the required speed is
• the centrifugal force must be greater than the dead weight of parts 3.
• a stripping device 4 is arranged in the drum 1 in a fixed manner, but adjustable in its distance from the wall of the drum 1.
• the parts 3 fixed to the wall of the drum 1 by the centrifugal force are stripped from the wall during each revolution or at certain time intervals when the stripping device 4 takes effect and come down by gravity, as a result of which they assume a different position and be fixed on the wall again.
• a guide plate 5 regulates the fall of the parts 3 and determines the point of impact on the inner wall of the drum 1.
• a crucible of an electron beam evaporator 6 is arranged in a fixed manner, which can be closed by means of a pivotable screen 7.
• a plasma etcher 7 is fixedly arranged in front of the electron beam evaporator 6 and is surrounded by a shield 8. In the area of the shield 8, reaction gas is supplied through the opening 9.
• the parts 3 to be coated are introduced into the rotating drum 1 via a suitably arranged filling device 10, in conjunction with a vacuum lock (not shown) and guide devices.
• FIG. 1 A section of the surface of the drum 1 is shown in FIG.
• the surface is provided with axially extending notches 13.
• the flank in the direction of rotation is flat and steep against the direction of rotation. This causes the parts 3 to adhere better to the surface of the drum 1, i.e. H. are fixed.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Metallurgy (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)
• Glanulating (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=6454792

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (2)

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Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1992
  • 1992-03-23 DE DE4209384A patent/DE4209384C1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1993
  • 1993-03-03 US US08/307,663 patent/US5470388A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1993-03-03 JP JP5516155A patent/JPH07506875A/ja active Pending
  • 1993-03-03 WO PCT/DE1993/000201 patent/WO1993019217A1/de active IP Right Grant
  • 1993-03-03 EP EP93905159A patent/EP0632846B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-03-03 DE DE59301348T patent/DE59301348D1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (5)

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